Four Blind Players
by Monsteruphigh
Summary: Three years before the great reveal Filipe De Castro takes over Lousiana. Eric quickly and happily transfers his loyalty to the king, but all is not as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm new to FanFiction, so go easy on me. English isn't my first language so any advice on grammar is welcome.**

Victor Madden eyes followed Eric Northman around the room with barely disguised disdain. Northman would have met the true death if he had had his way five years ago. Filipe had taken Louisiana with surprising ease and instead of getting rid of Northman, who was part of the old regime; he gave him a chance to swear fealty to the new king much to Victor's anger. Filipe's reason had been he needed the money Northman made for the previous Monarch. Indeed he did make money, a lot of it for Filipe in an area Victor thought was just too out of the way to really make the money Northman was making. Northman paid more tribute to Filipe than he did, which he found impossible considering he was the sheriff of New Orleans.

Of course, Filipe picked up on it and questioned Victor believing his loyal servants was somehow stealing from him. It didn't help when Northman looked surprised by the news that he paid more tribute from his little hole in the wall than Victor did. Victor was then forced to subsidize this tribute with his own funds. He tried raising the tribute the vampires in area 1 paid only to have several leave in the space of a few months. Filipe refused to take into account the loss of several vampires in the area due to the takeover. Northman's area had lost none due to his surrendering and swearing fealty. He knew Northman was padding the tribute with his own funds, except he didn't have the funds Northman did. He had made his suspicions known to the other sheriffs, but one or more of them had told Northman about it, and he had replied by increasing his tribute significantly.

Eric Northman had more money than most monarchs and he was using it to drain Victor dry. Surprisingly it was also Northman that had come to his rescue. When the vampires revealed themselves, Northman opened a club in Shreveport and one in New Orleans. He also opened a restaurant, a vampire hotel, and several other little enterprises. All these served to increase Victor's tribute and throw doubt on his belief that Northman was out to destroy him.

Over the years Filipe had started trusting Northman more and more and he was proving that that trust wasn't misplaced. On Filipe's first anniversary as king of Louisana, Northman's gift was a cape of some historical value. Apparently, it had belonged to some king from Spain. The very king Filipe modeled his style of dressing on. Victor didn't give a fuck about such things, but clearly, Filipe did, and his elation when Northman had presented the cape said it all.

Northman's gifts became more extravagant with every passing year, so much so, it had turned into a guessing game with the other sheriffs. A game both Filipe and Northman encouraged.

Filipe finally graced them with his presence and the sheriffs all took their seats. Northman sat in the middle earning a chuckle from the room. Everyone knew Filipe was impatient to know what Northman was giving him, after all, it was the five-year anniversary of Felipe's takeover. "I think we will do things differently today and start from the middle." That earned more chuckling from the room.

"I should have known better," Eric replied with a smile. "But… I really believe it will be best to leave me till last." Eric added. Filipe looked even more eager to know, but acquiesced and started with Victor. As the month was the celebration of Filipe's fifth year as king of Louisiana, this months sheriffs meeting was taking longer than usual for his liking.

"Eric," Filipe said none too patiently when it got the Vikings turn.

"This year I need a little help with securing my gift." That had everyone's attention if he didn't already have it.

"What is it?" One of the sheriffs asked.

"Two months ago I found a young lady sleeping outside the emergency doors at Fangtasia. Despite all the drugs she smelled sweet. My childe decided to keep the young lady for her blood, which tasted incredible for a human. The young lady, however, proved difficult and problematic because she couldn't be glamoured." The murmuring had Eric pausing.

"A human that can't be glamoured? Is she by any chance a two-natured?" Filipe asked.

"No, your majesty, she is entirely human. That is not the point… realizing she had outlived her usefulness, she revealed that her cousin happens to be a telepath." Eric sat back and absorbed the looks of shock from everyone and one of disdain from Victor with a smirk.

"A telepath… how unique and…" Filipe found himself thinking of the effectiveness of having a telepath in his retinue. Traitors were a dime a dozen in almost every court and the news of a telepath would not only discourage more joining his court but could help root out the ones already in his court. "What help do you need?" He asked having weighed out the pros of such a talent in court.

"I have spent the last few weeks learning everything there is to learn about Miss Sookie Stackhouse and I believe you have the perfect vampire in your court to get her to come willingly."

"Why not just take her?" Victor sneered.

"She is a telepath," Felipe said glaring at Victor. "An unwilling telepath could sport a traitor and tell me they are loyal or tell me a loyal one is a traitor, considering the information is in her head how do we know she's telling the truth. We could always tie her to a vampire, but she could easily over time learn to master her emotions, therefore, deceive us." Filipe said having seen it before.

Victor nodded realizing the folly of his plan. Indeed a willing telepath was better than a forced one. "Who do you need?" Felipe asked.

"Bill Compton. Compton I believe is from Bon Temps and still has a family home across from the Stackhouse's. I'm told he knew their ancestors personally. His last living relative died recently. Under the pretense of mainstreaming he could get to know Miss Stackhouse and tie her to him. Compton was a procurer under Sophie-Anne, this task should not pose any difficulty."

"Someone get me Compton." Filipe bellowed smiling from ear to ear. "A telepath… Eric, you have outdone yourself."

"It's all well and good, but if she can read the minds of vampires…" Alonso the sheriff of area 2 started.

"It's a chance we have to take… if that proves to be the case, we will find another way." Felipe said waving away the concern.

Victor found himself wondering whether he'd been wrong about Northman all this time. Had he found a telepath, they would be bonded to him long before the king found out. He would have lauded it over the king. Filipe would be the one paying him for the use of the telepath. Been bonded, there wasn't much the king could do to take her from him, but here Northman was prepared to hand over such a prized asset. _Maybe, the Viking is truly loyal and not just ass kissing_.

* * *

Bill Compton was hoping his time had finally come, he had hoped for more after helping Las Vegas takeover Louisiana. He had been De Castro's inside man at Sophie-Anne's court and yet after it was all over, he had been left with nothing. Under Sophie-Anne, he had at least had a role. Under De Castro, he was merely a body at court. He had an idea for a vampire database and had hoped he would have been at least rewarded with some funds to get that project going.

"Bill, I believe you approached me about lending you money for a project you've been working on." Finally.

"Yes, your majesty."

"I have a job for you and on the successful completion of that job you can have the money for your project."

"Understood," Bill responded with a small bow.

"I understand you are from Bon Temps…" _Fuck. The last place I want to go back to is that backwater town._

"Yes, your majesty."

"Excellent."

Bill packed his clothes with little restraint. He had hoped the days of tying himself to humans and their emotions were over. He knew the Stackhouse's in his human days, but that was over a century and a half ago. The sheriff of area 5, Eric Northman would be driving him to Bon Temps this evening. He had two weeks to get Miss Stackhouse tied to him and to court. Vampire blood was sacred, and yet monarchs had him giving his out like candy.

"Eric," Victor calls as he walks towards him.

"Victor." He responds barely looking up from his phone.

"I will admit I'm surprised by your willingness to hand over such an asset," Victor confesses.

"Such a gift is far more useful in court than in a bar in Shreveport. What could I possibly need a telepath for?"

"The king asked me to inform you that he will be staying in New Orleans until the telepath is delivered." Eric simply nodded in response as Bill walked up to the passenger side of the Corvette and got in without a word.

Bill hated Eric Northman with a passion, he who helped with the takeover ended up languishing at court while Eric who he believed should have met the true death seems to be reaping the rewards of his hard work. The king trusts and favors him, despite Eric's loyalty to Sophie-Anne, De Castro believes he can still be trusted. Compton would never make that mistake. Even with the two-week deadline, he was going to approach this with caution, as it could easily be a setup.

" I need to speak to the cousin to…"

"Pam drained her weeks ago, the girl was just too much trouble. I should warn you, Miss Stackhouse, I believe like her cousin cannot be glamoured. I would also advise you not to drink from the girl, or you will end up draining her." He warned.

"That good?" Bill asked.

"Yes." Eric smiled. "Here the file on Miss Stackhouse," Eric said handing a folder over.

"Who discovered her?" Bill looked at Eric waiting for an answer that never came.


	2. Chapter 2

Bill Compton stood on the edge of the woods waiting for Sookie to show. The night before his plan with the Rattrays had worked, but the stubborn Miss Stackhouse had refused to take the blood he offered, in fact, she had been offended by it. It was a perfect plan after he found out that she could not read his mind. In fact, she was so shocked by the fact that he had a quiet mind, something she also seemed to find alluring it made his plans all the more easier.

Tonight she would be left with no choice as far as Bill was concerned. At a few minutes to eleven, she walked out with the shifter, and for second Bill thought he might wait with her. To his relief, the shifter walked away, and he watched as she looked around for him. Denise Rattray appeared behind her and swung only to have Sookie dodge the blow as though she had eyes at the back of her head and deliver one to Denise's jaw. Mack stepped in only to earn an elbow to the ribs. Bill watched astonished as Sookie Stackhouse beat the Rattrays to a pulp. Sookie had clearly had enough of them and determined this was going to be her last encounter with them.

Bill finally stepped in stopping her. "Sookie, they are not worth it. Please, you do not want to go to prison because of these two." He placated.

"No, just knowing they will no longer be on this earth will get me through even a life sentence." She snarled ready to deliver another kick only to have Bill pick her up and carry her to her car.

"Enough, I will take care of this." She sighed calming down. After a beat, she turned thanking Bill before getting into her car.

Bill stared after her in disbelief. _What will it take to get my blood into her?_

He was beginning to think this job would not be as straightforward as he had expected.

Eric stared at Bill. "You can't get a slip of a girl to take your blood?" He asked sitting back in his chair with a chuckle.

"You were a soldier… shoot her from a distance then heal her." Pam snarked.

"Pam," Eric warned. "We are not trying to harm the girl.

"Well, then what do you call getting a couple of drainers to beat her up or at least try?" She retorted as Eric picked up the handset to call the king.

"Sheriff," Felipe responded with something akin to a cheer.

"Your majesty, I have Compton here… he appears to be struggling to get his blood into the girl."

"I take it she can't be glamoured either?" Felipe asked.

"No, your majesty it was the first thing I tried," Bill admitted.

"Eric, do you have any suggestions," Felipe asked with a sigh.

"Get her to Fangtasia… it would be helpful if it were her idea."

"What would that achieve," Bill asked, hating the idea of Sookie meeting the Viking.

"I believe the threat of taking her from you because she is not in any way marked might just do the trick. Of course, it will help if she believes I am rather evil and will be less than kind to her should frighten her enough to accept your blood as a mark."

"You heard him, Compton, get the girl to his club." Compton internally was snarling at all three but kept his features in check as he bowed his head as though Filipe was in the room before leaving the club. "This is the first chance he's had to prove his usefulness in years and he seems to be failing. To think his project relies on the successful completion of this task." Felipe growled in annoyance.

"Indeed," Eric said contemplatively.

"Keep me informed." Felipe was off the line before Eric could respond not that he was going to. He knew Felipe liked to get the last word, most vampires did.

Sophie-Anne was a good queen as far as Eric was concerned, she was somewhat greedy, but then so were most monarchs. The more you earned, the more they wanted, tribute percentages went up yearly more than it did with the IRS. In fact, if things where good he found tax percentages stayed the same, not with vampires. The takeover had come as a surprise, especially with it coming from Nevada. He had spies in the surrounding states, as he always believed the threat would come from one of them. Arkansas had been on his radar more than most and yet it had been as far afield as Nevada.

He had surrendered to Victor when given a chance, it would have been a hopeless fight. The lives of those loyal to him was too valuable to throw away on a lost cause, so when given a chance to swear fealty he had taken it. Felipe was just as greedy as Sophie-Anne if more so, but just as Sophie-Anne, Felipe had left him alone to run his area as he saw fit. Of course in the first month, he had Victor on his case like a leech and had sent a reduced tribute to the king. The message was rather simple, 'if I'm kowtowing to your regent, then I'm not getting enough work done to make you money, and it had worked.' Victor had been ordered to leave him alone and since then he had found he barely noticed the difference in the change of monarchy. But things weren't always as it appears and Eric knew how to take advantage of such situations.

* * *

"Guess who is here and is apparently mainstreaming?" Pam asked, but her usually bored tone was nowhere to be seen. He followed Pam's eyes and found Compton. Of course, the subject of conversation was strictly planned just in case someone was listening, after all, they had been expecting him and the telepath. Eric summoned him as planned, he watched as Compton gripped the girl's hand leading her up to the dais. "Bill Compton it has been a while." He had expected Compton to take longer in getting the girl there.

"Yes, well… I've been…"

"Mainstreaming," Eric said the word with some derision. "I heard." Yes, he really was enjoying himself. He turned his attention to the telepath and had to admit she was enchanting and smelled rather sweet. "I see that it's going well for you."

"Yes, of course, Eric, this is my friend…"

"Sookie Stackhouse." Eric finished.

"How do you know my name?"

"I never forget a pretty face," Pam interjected. "You're in my vault.

"Great, that's just great," Sookie responded somewhat sarcastically. "It's nice to meet you." She added turning her attention back on Eric.

"Miss Stackhouse I understand you've been asking questions about some of my customers." For the first time that Eric sounded like the sheriff.

"Yes, I have." She answered without hesitation.

"If you have anything to ask you should ask it of me."

"Alrighty." She eagerly got the pictures out of her bag. "You recognize either one of these women?" she asked giving him the pictures.

He stared at the pictures for a beat with a smirk before answering. "This one offered herself to me…. but I found her too pathetic for my attentions." He said looking back at her. "Now, this one, however…" he licked his lips. "I have tasted."

"Well, thank you, that is all your time I need to take," Sookie said snatching the pictures out of his hand.

"I'm not finished with you yet." He barked. "Please, sit." He added with an insincere smile.

Sookie stared at him for a beat then looked at Bill who nodded. Sookie took a seat next to Eric. "Soo… Bill, are you quite attached to your friend?" Eric stared all the while his attention on Sookie.

"She's mine," Bill growled.

"Is she?" He questioned with a smirk. "Tell me Miss Stackhouse are you his." Before she could answer Bill injected.

"You know the rules…"

"Yes I do, and I don't detect any evidence of your claim," Eric said his eyes still on Sookie. "I have a nose for these things." He added salaciously.

"What is he talking about?" Sookie cut in.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with.

"But you should, Miss Stackhouse," Eric said with a genuine smile that unnerved her more than it should. "In our world, a claim means nothing without evidence... and here I detect none."

"Eric, this is none of your concern, Miss Stackhouse and I just met, and in due time…"

"Yes, and in that time someone else can come in and snatch her up." Eric teased. "Tie her…"

"Eric, this does not concern you." He growled much to Eric's amusement. "Sookie let's go."

The minute they were out of sight Eric vamped into his office followed by Pam. "What the hell was he doing?" Pam growled.

"It would appear everything but the very thing he's supposed to do." Eric was having difficulty understanding what just happened. Whichever way he thought about it Bill Compton had subverted every attempt to scare Sookie into taking his blood.

"He could have wanted to be the one to tell her… she appears to be kind of breather that will ask him questions about what just happened." Pam surmised even though she genuinely doubted it.

"I'm headed to New Orleans, call Victor, and tell him I'm on my way. It's imperative I talk to him and Filipe." If Compton was a traitor, things needed to be headed off immediately.

Eric vamped into Filipe's office to find him and Victor waiting. "We spoke to your childe…"

"Compton is working for either is own gain or someone else. He subverted every attempt to talk about tying himself to the girl." Before Filipe could question him, he gave an account of the conversation verbatim.

"Son of a bitch," Victor growled.

"You understand my concern," Eric asked finally taking a seat.

"I want Compton arrested now before he does any more damage." The king ordered.

Eric had his phone out issuing instructions. "Thalia and Pam are on their way."

"How do we salvage this… I mean with the telepath." Victor asked.

"I believe the truth would do, or some aspects of the truth. I will have my man in Compton's home right after the arrest to search for evidence of his treason. I believe whatever evidence he had he took when he left court."

"Give me two nights to come up with something for the telepath. If Compton is really a traitor, her services will be imperative now more than ever."

"Yes." Felipe agreed.

"I will also suggest you not stay at court. My penthouse is free, and I will tell the staff to expect you. Be discreet about your stay there. I have two trusted employees deal with your stay."

"Is that necessary?" Felipe asked.

"The minute Compton is arrested someone will know... if he is indeed working for someone. We cannot risk a rash move been made. You are not in Vegas, here you are not as protected or as secure."

"I agree," Victor said surprising Eric.

"Make the arrangements," Felipe said with a sigh.

By the time Eric made it back to Fangtasia, he had an hour before dawn. "What is the meaning of this?" Bill barked the minute Eric entered the basement.

"This." He said with a smile as he showed Bill the evidence of his communication with Threadgill.

"It is not what you think."

"Then tell me... Bill, what do I think?" Eric asked with a smug smile. He had been looking for an opportunity to end Compton for years, and the civil war veteran had finally given him one.

"He was trying to recruit me… I was simply playing along until I had everything to present to the king." Bill responded confidently.

"Is that right."

"Yes Sheriff, that is the absolute truth."

"And I don't believe you." Eric did not wait for him to respond. "Victor will be here tonight… I suggest you think of a better excuse for your treason." He left Bill still protesting his innocence.

"Do you believe him?" Pam asked as he exited the basement.

"No, his story does not explain some of the correspondence," Eric replied in a bored tone.

"What about the telepath?"

"I will think of something. I'm hoping if she doesn't hear or see from Compton in a couple of nights she will grace us with her delightful presence."

"Oh, I hope so." Pam purred.


	3. Chapter 3

"I should have known his excuses for not getting his blood into the telepath was just that, excuses," Eric said sliding several papers in front of Victor.

Victor read through the emails at speed before looking up at Eric in shock. "Son of a bitch was going to sell her." He whispers.

"Yes, he is not particularly loyal to Threadgill as he was auctioning her off to the highest bidder. Threadgill just happens to be the highest bidder, although he doesn't know it. I believe he thinks Compton's simple set a price. Why Threadgill?" Eric asked knowing Victor had the answer.

"He and Felipe had an arrangement that fell apart… I believe Threadgill thinks Felipe backstabbed him even though he didn't meet his end of the bargain." Victor says with a shrug.

"And he found Compton as his inside man to help him get back whatever he believes he lost," Eric added.

"I'm guessing Compton found an opportunity when he was sent to procure the telepath to make some money for himself and get Threadgill what he wanted or at least a start." Victor surmised. "Where is he?"

"In the basement enjoying our hospitality," Eric answered with a chuckle.

...

"Victor, this is a misunderstanding. I was gathering information for the king. I had no intention of betraying you or the king." Bill started the second he saw Victor.

"Then explain this." Victor showed him the printouts from his computer that showed his sale of Sookie to Threadgill and the website he set up for said sale.

"This is a lie. I do not know what that is… you set me up." He turned his attention to Eric. "Victor, this is a set up orchestrated by the sheriff."

"And why will he do that?"

"Because he wants Sookie for himself. I saw the way he was looking at her when we came here…"

"Is that why you changed the plan in place?"

"Yes, yes… I knew if I allowed him to talk to her he would have taken her for himself and blamed me, which is what he's doing now." Victor looked at Eric, and both vampires cracked up laughing.

"Oh, Compton… if only you knew." Victor shook his head in amusement. "Your argument might have had some merit… some, if the sheriff wasn't the one who brought the telepath to our attention. He's known about her for months... therefore, if he wanted her, she would be his." Bill looked from Eric to Victor and back to Eric.

"This is a set up, it might not be the sheriff, but its someone." Bill protested.

"Enough of this nonsense. Bill Compton, you will tell us everything, and then you will meet your true death."

"I am telling you, I know nothing about the sale of Sookie. Someone is framing me for treason."

"Your conversations with Threadgill alone constitutes treason. So whether you are guilty of auctioning off the telepath or not, you will still meet the true death." Victor barked having had enough of Bill's whining.

"He approached me, and I saw it as an opportunity to gain information for the king. Treason never crossed my mind."

"Maybe it should have." Eric snarled.

"Felipe is anxious about getting the telepath…" Victor started.

"I have a plan in place... I will be using Compton's treachery to get her onside. I have one of two ways to go depending on how she takes the news."

"What about the threat against the women seen with vampires in her town?"

"I've got two Weres and two vampires watching her every move. The telepath is well protected." Victor nodded mollified.

Bill Compton had been instrumental in helping De Castro's take over of Louisiana. Without the information he provided, it would not have been possible. He was tired of being a procurer, feigning interest in mundane human's and bemoaning his vampirism just to endear himself to fucking bloodbags. Fifty years of that shit would have any sane vampire turning a traitor just to gain their freedom. So when he found himself in Nevada and in Victor's company been treated with some respect, he was quick to help when they asked. Of course, he was made numerous promises none of which had been fulfilled. He had turned on Sophie-Anne only to find the grass wasn't greener on the other side.

He knew Threadgill was furious with De Castro as well, he contacted him a few months ago hoping he could finally be seen as useful. He had no intention of betraying De Castro, he had hoped when he had enough he could turn it over to the king, hoping he would be seen as a hero. In that regard, he was a traitor.

As for Sookie, he was set up, he hadn't held an auction nor had he told or sold her to Threadgill. He couldn't but think that just maybe Victor was the one setting him up. _Why would Victor set him up?_

He quickly dismissed that notion and cast his mind wide trying to work out what had happened. He had never wanted to take Sookie to Fangtasia, in fact, he had tried to talk her out of it, but Sookie Stackhouse was the most stubborn woman he had ever met. The Viking showed an interest, but now he realizes it was all part of the plan. He had behaved the way he did because he thought it was a better plan. He knew if he kept interrupting the sheriff Sookie would know he was hiding something. She would ask him about it on the way home, and he'd tell her about how vampires viewed humans and the ownership of humans. He would talk about how barbaric and disrespectful he found it, bemoaned the treatment of human along with her all the while getting her to agree to taking his blood. After all, she had been the one insisting on going to Fangtasia. Therefore she had been the one to expose herself to them, and now they had no choice.

Unfortunately for Bill, they had been pulled over by an officer, and the subsequent interaction with him had Sookie looking at him differently when he admitted he would have fed on the officer had Sookie not been present.

He hadn't had a chance to clear things up before he was arrested for treason and he knew he never would.

...

Eric runs his fingers through his hair before he knocked on the door on the farmhouse. "That might be Bill." He heard Miss Stackhouse yell. An elderly woman opened the door and looked up at him in surprise.

"Good evening Mrs. Stackhouse, I am Eric Northman…"

"The sheriff." She said in recognition. "Please, come in." She said stepping aside.

"Thank you." Eric stepped in just as Sookie made her way down the stairs. "Hello again," he greeted with a smug smile.

"Sheriff, Bill Compton seems to have gone missing. It has been three nights, and no one has seen him." Sookie wasted no time.

"Sookie is that any way to greet your guest." Adele admonished.

"Sorry Gran, but Bill could be hurt bad as we speak." Adele shook her head and disappeared up the stairs.

"That is why I am here. I'm afraid Bill Compton was arrested for treason two nights ago." Eric said sadly.

"Treason… what did he do?" Sookie asked in shock.

"May we sit?" Eric asked.

"Yes... yes, where are my manners. Please, this way." Sookie sounded flustered much to Eric's amusement. A human that cared that much about a vampire, that surprised him.

"Miss Stackhouse…"

"Please, call me Sookie." She said with a smile. "Can I get you a drink?"

"No need, I already fed." He said without thought. "Sookie, most vampires have certain abilities out of the norm that comes with being a vampire. I can fly…"

"You can fly." Sookie uttered in disbelief.

"Yes, my childe is exceptional at glamouring and... Bill Compton has the ability to really endear himself to humans. He can come across as harmless despite the fact that he is one of the most ruthless vampire I have ever had the misfortune of meeting His maker was rather sadistic, and Bill relished in it." He could see Sookie was about to protest. "Sookie I assure I'm not lying… you will find that it is not in my nature to lie. I might not tell you everything, but I will never lie to you." After a beat, she nodded.

"Bill Compton was released by his maker some fifty years ago and immediately got himself into trouble and was saved by the then queen of Louisiana."

"I'm sorry… queen of Louisiana?"

"Yes, every state has a monarch, the current monarch of this state is also the monarch of Nevada. She saw Compton's ability to get humans to trust him, and she put him to work collecting unique humans for her court. She was rather notorious for it. The current king, however, is not a collector of humans. In fact, if he gets wind of a human with a unique talent, he offers them a job, which they can feel free to turn down." Sookie shifted in her seat.

"So you know about my disability." Although it sounded like a question, it was a statement.

"Yes, we are aware of your telepathy. Bill was here to offer you a contract, but when I saw you in my club and his... rather nervous demeanor, I knew something was off. I called the king wondering if was now in the business of procuring humans. He didn't take kindly to my accusation." Eric said with a chuckle. "The king it turns out was under the impression that Compton had not yet found you. Compton reported that your family was away on vacation."

"I see," Sookie mumbled. "So why lie instead of giving me the contract?" Eric opened the laptop he was carrying and showed Sookie the page Compton had created to sell her to the highest bidder. "Son of a bitch… the bastard was going to sell me." Sookie bellowed much to Eric's amusement.

"Yes, Compton saw a way to make a tremendous amount of money and took the opportunity. I'm afraid someone has paid for you and will be coming for you tomorrow night. Miss Stackhouse, I'm afraid Compton has put your life and that of your family in danger."

"Shit." Sookie murmured.

"Indeed," Eric whispered.

"Can't you get Bill to give the money back?" She asked feeling as though the room was closing in on her.

"That will make no difference, right now there is nothing stopping any of the bidders on the site from deciding to kidnap you. Your only option is to sign the contract with my king, and he will grant you his protection that will prevent most from attempting to kidnap you."

"But not all." Sookie picked up on that.

"No, we will offer protection, in fact, we have been doing just that since yesterday."

"I hadn't noticed. I haven't exactly been looking for minds around the property." She said feeling tired all of a sudden. "This contract…"

"Is very open to negotiations," Eric said giving her the envelope.

Sookie quickly opened it and scanned the pages. "A hundred thousand a year retainer. All expense paid if the job requires travel." She figured it would since the king was also king of Nevada. She'd have to work at least five years at Merlotte's to make that kind of money.

"I will leave you to read the contract and make any amendments you'd like. Please, be vigilant… and Miss Stackhouse you have to remember it is not beyond vampires to use your friends and family to get you to co-operate. A few days ago you would have had the option to turn this down, but as things stand right now, accepting this contract is in your best interest. Goodnight." He stood buttoning his jacket. He could tell the grandmother was still awake. "Goodnight Mrs. Stackhouse." He called out to her.

"Goodnight sheriff." She responded.

"Here is my number, call me if you have any questions." She took the card with a nod.

"What's gonna happen to Bill?"

"I'm afraid the penalty for treason is the true death." Sookie nodded knowing there was nothing she could say to help Bill, not that she wanted to help the lying ass.

"Goodnight Sheriff."

"It's Eric." He said with his trademark smirk.

"Well then, goodnight Eric." She said blushing a little.

Knowing she was still watching him, Eric took off into the night sky with a smile on his face. He landed on Compton's front door before walking over to the edge of the cemetery. "Howdy Mister Eric," Bubba said from his position in the trees.

"Bubba." Eric greeted.

"Is all quiet, no ones come by… just yourself." Bubba gave him a simple rundown of the night so far.

"Good, if anything change, call Pam, I'll be in New Orleans tonight." With that, he was off.

"So do you think she will sign," Victor asked with a chuckle. Both he and Felipe had been very pleased with Eric's ingenuity regarding the procurement of Sookie's services. Eric on his part had recorded the conversation he had with Sookie that night for the king.

"She will… especially when she finds herself being followed during the day, I believe she will be quick to sign the contract."

"My only concern is how she will react to the idea of been tied to a vampire," Felipe said tapping his nails on the desk.

"It's all outlined in the contract," Eric answered somewhat dismissively.

"Good, very good." Felipe murmured. "She seems to have taken a liking to you, so it will best if you tied her to you." Felipe knew Eric wouldn't like it and neither would Victor as he had hoped he would be the one tied to the girl. Felipe wasn't stupid, better the vampire that wasn't obsessed with the telepath than the one that was. Felipe knew with Victor, the telepath would soon come to regret her decision and he couldn't have that. He knew Eric would keep the girl at a distance until necessary and that is what he needed.

"This calls for a celebration," Felipe added before either vampire could protest.

"I'm fine your majesty, I had quite the feast before flying over."

"Of course." Felipe chuckled.

"That club of yours is certainly a treasure trove of feeds and fucks," Victor said enviously.

"Why don't you go to Vikings, I will let them know to expect you," Eric said gathering up his things.

"I will, thanks, Eric," Victor said with a smile.

Felipe gave him a smug smile as Eric left the room. "Yes, I know… you were right about him. If I weren't so blinded by jealousy, I would have seen it too." Victor admitted.

"Yes, the Viking is a very loyal and a good friend to have. If you hadn't been so busy for the last few years trying to best him you would have a great ally in him right now." Felipe added.

"It's not too late." Victor murmured as he made his way to the club. Vikings has been quite the moneymaker for the area. He should have seen Eric as an alley then when he opened the club bringing in much revenue for Victor's fast-dwindling coffers. It saved having to supplement his tributes with his own funds.

...

Eric landed on the front lawn of the farmhouse half an hour after receiving a call from Sookie, the front door opened to a smiling Sookie. The closer he got to her the more he felt something was off. Before he could discern what it was, he felt as though he'd been hit with a fireball that sent him flying towards the tree line.

 _Fuck, that fucking hurt._

 **AN: I would like to thank CJFAA for her help with writing and plotting out this story.**


	4. Chapter 4

Eric groaned looking down at his chest, the burn had already started to heal, but his shirt was done. "Tell me, Miss Stackhouse, are you his?" Sookie mocked imitating his voice while looking down at him with still glowing hands. He knew those words would come back to haunt him. "You are lucky that stupid fool interjected before I had to answer." She added menacingly.

"Sookie, I was playing the part." He defended rather weakly.

"Lie to me again." She dared her hands glowing brighter.

"Okay, I…" he shut up knowing he was about to lie again. He got up brushed himself off as she stormed off into the house. He followed with a smug smile on his face.

Adele chuckled from her position in the doorway. She handed Eric a clean shirt with a shake of her head. "It was worth it." He whispered.

"Is the fire throwing over?" Pam asked with her head in the doorway.

"For now," Sookie said sweetly.

"Told you you shouldn't have asked her that. Who in their right mind wants to be Bills'?" Pam deadpanned with a smile. It was always a pleasure to see a slip of a girl put a thousand-year-old vampire in his place. "How did it go?" Pam asked after Eric put on a new shirt.

"Very well, Sookie's idea to record it was genius." He said in an attempt to placate, though the idea was truly genius. The whole endeavor was, and it was Sookie's plan. A plan he wasn't so keen on for fear any number of things could go wrong and he would end up meeting his true death leaving Sookie at the hands of vampires. But things had changed when he discovered Bill was talking to Threadgill. Vampires held humans in little regard and therefore did and said things they wouldn't otherwise do in front of them. Bill's favorite donor was Eric's spy. Bill liked to talk, and his donor dutifully listened and reported it all to Eric. Bill, in particular, was on Sookie's shit list and Eric knew he was going to suffer before he met the true death.

"So what next?" Sookie asked.

"Victor would be at Fangtasia tomorrow night to interrogate Bill... after he will leave the job of exacting his true death to me as sheriff. Of course, I would prefer if you showed up before the interrogation just in case he insists I do the deed in front of him." Sookie nodded with a smile.

"After Victor leaves we will have a little chat with Bill." She said gleefully.

Though she'd never say it out loud, Pam had to admit Sookie sometimes scared even her. She was the quintessential southern lady until crossed, and Bill had crossed her in the worst way possible.

"Where is Jason? "Pam asked realizing her other favorite breather was nowhere to be smelled.

"He's in Monroe picking up some stuff for me," Eric said cryptically as gran placed a warm bottle of true blood before him. "Oh, Sookie you have to take my blood." He added before knocking back his true blood.

"Don't I already." She quipped. She had Eric's blood, but tomorrow night they'd be using magic to suppress the scent of his blood in her.

"You were right because of my blasé attitude towards you, and Victor's overzealous one, Felipe decided it was best you were tied to me." He said with his trademark smirk.

"I told it would work out. It's hard to know someone when you truly have no idea of who they truly are." Sookie muttered. Indeed, apart from Pam, Thalia and the Stackhouse's, no one really knew who Eric Northman was. What was known about him was what he wanted people to know. A large part of his life was not known to anyone except those he considered family. "Anyway, are you guys staying tonight?" Sookie asked. Since Compton had moved across the farmhouse, Eric and Pam avoided coming to Bon Temps to prevent any unnecessary risks.

"Yeah, it's been a while, I missed the magic." Pam moaned.

The Stackhouse farmhouse was seeped in magic. The Fairy magic that surrounded the property was incredibly powerful. Both Eric and Pam loved doing nothing more than inhaling the air around the property. Pam said the magic tingled her nose and made her eyes water, something that didn't happen as a vampire without the magic. Eric kept his reasons to himself.

...

Eric walked through the downstairs guest bedroom, he opened the closet lifted the latch and made his way down the stairs. He walked through the short tunnel with a serene smile on his face. He pulled the heavy steel door opened without entering the code as Pam had left it unlocked. He locked it behind him and sighed needlessly. It was truly good to be back at the farmhouse.

Though the sun hadn't gone down, he got ready to die for the day. He got in bed, and his thoughts drifted to an old friend.

 _Eric knew his best chance to get out of Europe lied in England or what was formerly Wessex. His maker had just released him, and Eric wanted to be as far away from him as possible. He had two choices he could either head for Asia or Africa. He'd prefer Africa as he had an invite from the vampire king of Egypt to join his court. Khufu had taken a real liking to Eric, but an immediate dislike for Appius, his maker. Khufu had found him alone and had said the minute Eric was free he was welcome at this court. Appius used Eric more often than not too gain a place in most courts, but that didn't last long when Appius had one of his moments and ended up slaughtering entire villages and then they had to flee._

 _He heard rustling to his left and paused, the road at this time of the night was deserted. He knew he'd run into people the closer he got to the port. His eyes didn't see whoever it was, but he could smell their blood and dear Odin he knew what he smelled. Appius though had warned him to stay well clear of Fairies if he was alone. He could easily wander around drunk and happily meet the sun because on Fairy blood you were barely aware of yourself or your environment. Most vampires that drained a fairy's blood usually ended up dead not because they obliviously met the sun while drunk, but because when a Fairy is lost their keen knew and immediately turned up which resulted in the vampire's true death._

 _Eric though kept walking towards the smell with his fangs down and throbbing. He rounded a large tree and found a Fairy on the ground clutching his stomach, which was bleeding profusely. "You have quite the nose, vampire," Fintan muttered struggling to remain conscious. He had a ward around him even it was fading the vampire shouldn't have been able to smell his blood._

 _Without a word, Eric bit his wrist and let the blood pour into the wound. Fintan looked on in shock and surprise at the action. The vampire should have drained him by now. "Why?" he asked after the wound closed._

" _I don't' know." And Eric truly didn't know why he had saved the vampire's life. Later he would put it to his new found freedom and not wanting to take any risk. Though he simply could have walked away, but saving the Fairy was something he would never be able to explain._

" _I thank you." Eric had no idea what the thanks meant coming from a Fairy._

" _Is there anything I can do for you?" Fintan asked._

" _Unless you can truly free me from my maker I doubt it," Eric growled._

" _Meet me here tomorrow night, and I will have something for you," Fintan said. Eric looked at him skeptically, disbelieving he could genuinely be freed from his maker's command. Appius may have freed him, but he could still command, as he hadn't truly released him._

 _Despite his doubt, Eric agreed to meet Fintan the following night. "What is your name?" Eric asked. "I'm Eric." He offered._

 _"Fintan." He answered with a small bow and then was gone in a blink of an eye. Eric decided to abandon his human pace and vamped to the town of Dartmouth and laid in wait for a lone human. Healing Fintan had left him feeling somewhat hungry and he needed to feed. He was just about to move in-between a row of storehouses when a female approached him._

 _This would do._

 _After a long fuck and a quick feed, which the female was glamoured to forget. She understood the sex was a one-time thing, but despite her ease, he couldn't afford to have her retain her memory of the feed. He would never glamour a woman to forget her sexual encounter with him, as far as he was concerned it was akin to rape. He dug a grave right where he was to meet Fintan the following night and died for the day._

 _When he crawled out Fintan was sat up against the tree waiting for him. He spotted three beautifully crafted medallions on the forest floor next to Fintan. "When you are ready you put your thumb over the center and press down do not stop until it glows blue." Fintan looked at Eric then. "After that, you have until dawn... then it will no longer have any effect. With this, your maker will not be able to command you. I suggest you have a good plan before you go after your maker. You have three… use them wisely." Before Eric could ask any questions, Fintan popped away. The last time Eric saw him, he had asked him to keep an eye on his family. A civil war had broken out in Fairy and Fintan wouldn't be around much to keep an eye on them. Eric had been sheriff of area 5 for a while at this point, so it worked out well._

 _When Fintan fell in the war Eric made the decision to approach Adele, he wanted a more hands on approach to looking after them._

"What are you thinking about?" Eric wasn't the least bit surprised to find her in his room.

"Your grandfather." He answered moving to give her room.

"I wish I had met him." She responded as usual.

"I wish you had… Fintan was the brother I never had. I saved his life… and I still don't know why. Then he saved mine several times." Fintan had truly saved him because without those medallions Appius would have killed him when he found Eric half a millennia later. Despite the medallion, he still wasn't a match for Appius. Fintan had turned up and helped Eric kill his maker. Later, he learned Fintan hadn't helped because he saved his life. He had done so because he thought Eric was an honorable vampire and to want to kill his maker, then he must have been truly sadistic.

"Oh, is your office still bugged?" Sookie asked. "I don't want to say anything I shouldn't if it is." She added.

"Yes, Pam and I play the perfect sheriff and lieutenant every time we are in there. The best place to talk is my safe house in Shreveport. The rest of my properties Felipe knows about, so I don't trust that they are not bugged. Anyway, I don't take it personally at all, all of Felipe's sheriff's offices are bugged."

"Can I sleep here, I have a long night ahead of me." She asked.

"Why not?" He answered with a smile.

...

"How tired were you," Eric asks as Sookie stretches and yawns waking up. He had been for about an hour just watching her sleep.

"I'm not going to lie I've not been sleeping all that well with Compton so close." She admits

"Can't say I'm surprised, and I felt the same that is why I had security on you while he was here." Eric sits up, and Sookie looks on in envy.

"I really wish I could just get up like you do when you wake." She pouts.

"Come on sleepy head, we do have a long night ahead of us. I have to go home and shower get your delicious scent off me." Eric teases.

"It's not on you enough." Sookie murmurs although with his vampire sense of hearing he heard every word.

"When this is over we can give us a try," Eric says sincerely.

"Really?" Sookie asks her happiness nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Yes, really." He plants a kiss on her forehead and disappears out the sleeping chamber.

"He didn't have time to think about him and Sookie right now, the idea had occurred to him years ago. He thought about making a move when she turned twenty, but the takeover happened, and he was in no way about to expose her to the likes of Felipe and Victor. They would have surely killed him to get their hands on her. No, she needed to be kept well away from vampire politics, when it was all said and done she was going to be his.

Within an hour he was at Fangtasia smelling like his usual self. He walked into the office checking his phone. "Let's deal with Compton," Victor said eager to enjoy the delights Fangtasia had to offer.

"It has to wait, I just got a message from Miss Stackhouse she wants to discuss the contract." Victor's smile grew.

"Indeed, Compton can wait."

Sookie got out of her beat up car and walked up to the door instead of joining the line. "Well, if it isn't the delightful Miss Stackhouse." Pam drawled.

Sookie looked at Pam in a way she had become used to and narrowed her eyes in warning not that Sookie would listen. "Miss Ravenscroft, I didn't think it was possible for anyone to have a worse southern drawl than Bill Compton… but you have just proved me wrong." Every vampire in the bar head her retort earning quite a few laughs, some outright howled with laughter, Eric chief among them. He vamped to door before Pam could counter knowing it would anger more than anything.

"Sookie." He greeted with a chuckle.

"Sheriff Northman."

"Sookie, how many times have I told you to call me Eric?"

"Yes Eric, I've come to discuss the contract, and I should warn you I was followed for most of the day by two men." She said putting a slight tremor in her voice for their guest.

"Come to my office." His tone got severe.

She eyed Victor Madden the minute she walked into the office. "Sookie, this is Victor Madden, regent of Louisiana." She nodded in response. She realized she wouldn't need to act at all where Victor was concerned. Sookie had taken an immediate dislike to the vampire. The way he stared at her didn't make her uncomfortable as it would others, but she acted that way earning a growl from Eric.

Victor realizing he was making her uncomfortable stopped his leer and averted his eyes. The last thing he needed was for her to turn down the contract because of him. Just maybe it was a good thing the telepath was going to be tied to Eric. He knew she would balk at the idea of being tied to him.

Two hours later they were still going over the contract. Eric could feel Sookie's amusement as she dragged out every little issue as if it was world ending. Victor was getting impatient for her to sign but he bit his tongue and kept deadly still in his seat. "Where do I sign?" Sookie asked clicking her pen with a flourish.

Neither Victor nor Eric could hide their elation, for very different reasons.

"Miss Stackhouse, we will arrange for you to travel to New Orleans to meet the king and make sure we have everything done to your satisfaction," Victor said with a smile. "Sheriff, I will leave you to deal with the problem downstairs," Victor said cryptically. Sookie had to laugh at his attempt to keep her from the horrors so soon into her contract. "I have to get back to the king and report the good news." He added.

"We will see in New Orleans in a couple of nights," Eric said as Victor departed and they quickly moved to Pam's office to talk freely. "Was that entirely necessary?" Eric growled. "Two hours Sookie, two fucking hours. You didn't need to pick at every line in that goddamn useless contract."

"What took so long?" Jason growled walking into the office followed by Pam.

"Your sister happened." Eric retorted.

"I was just playing my part." She defended innocently.

"That look don't work on me so quit it." Jason groaned. "Everything's ready." He added with a sadistic smile.

"You Stackhouse's are really scary when you want to be," Eric mumbled.

"Come on, let's go blow Bill's mind… literally." Pam intoned walking back out of the office and into the basement.

Bill looked up when he heard several footsteps coming down the basement stairs. "Sookie?" he moaned sniffing the air.

"Hello, Bill." She greeted as Bill's eyes run over the four in front of him. Nothing could prepare him for what was about to come.


	5. Chapter 5

"I was right, you did set me up," Bill growled glaring at Eric.

"No… you are still wrong in that regard," Eric said with a smirk.

"Indeed, that would be me, after all, it was my plan," Sookie told a disbelieving Bill.

"You expect me to believe a fucking human girl set me up. I am not that stupid." Bill's glare was still on Eric. "Listen, sweetheart, they are using you, and clearly you are too stupid to see…" his words died in his mouth when he spotted the glow on Sookie's hands.

"Care to repeat that." Sookie's voice had taken on a deadly edge that had Compton scrambling to think of a way out. "You are clearly struggling to understand what is happening, but don't worry, soon it will all be clear." The glow turned into a ball of blinding white energy before it was snuffed out. Bill blew out a sigh of relief.

"Idiot," Jason muttered, and before Compton could wonder what it was about, Sookie flicked a finger. Bill looked down to find a small hole in his stomach, he looked down at it just as the pain began. The scream that tore out of him was deafening. He was slowly burning on the inside, but not to the extent that would end his existence, just enough to cause him a great deal of hurt. Eric walked up to him and snapped his neck shutting him up. Bill was still aware of what was happening but wasn't able to vocalize it. He hadn't fed in days, and that only exacerbated the pain.

Thalia walked down to the basement after the bar was cleared. Eric released Bill from his confines and hurled him over his shoulder. He vamped out of the basement through the back door and dumped him in the back of Pam's van.

Pam got in the driver's seat with a groan. This would be the third time this month I have had to have the van detailed. "He's not bleeding all over it." Eric offered as if it made any difference to Pam.

"I can smell him that is all that matters." She countered squealing out of the employee parking space. She quickly caught up to Sookie who was now back to driving her Lexus. Pam was sure Sookie would be happy to get back to her regular day job. She did all the paperwork pertaining to running Fangtasia. That saved her and Eric hours of dealing with liquor suppliers, payroll, taxes and everything else paper related. Sookie also helped Sam Merlotte with his taxes and a couple of other businesses around Bon Temps. It was easy to glamour most of the locals to believe she worked as a waitress for Sam. The glamour was more for Bill than anything else. The folks at Bon Temps would have happily played along, but when it comes to vampires, you just did not take certain chances.

They pulled up at the warehouse and drove around the back. The place was very secluded, but care was still taken. Again Eric hurled Bill over his shoulder and carried him to the warehouse followed by Pam, Sookie, Jason, and Thalia.

"Billy boy, welcome to your new home," Eric said to an unresponsive Bill.

"Stackhouse, you have outdone yourself," Pam said looking around.

"Thank you, it was truly a pleasure." He tried imitating Pam's English accent, which usually came out when she got excited.

"You sound like a drunk Australian." Pam deadpanned.

Eric walked around the warehouse inspecting Jason's handiwork. Pam and Jason were in the middle of their usual back and forth. Thalia was walking Sookie through hand-to-hand combat when Bill groaned alerting the room to his wakeful status.

"Ahh, William, you are back with us." Pam drawled. "You have been missed." She added with a surprisingly straight face.

"What is this about? Pain lanced through him like never before. He was surprised to find a bottle of true blood at his lips. He finished three bottles in no time.

"We need you alert," Eric said as Jason pushed a large screen TV in front of him. "This should answer all your questions." Eric hit the play button.

Bill watched three children run around wondering what the fuck that had to do with anything but kept his question to himself. He had no desire to feel that burning sensation again.

" _Sookie is cheating."_ He heard the boy shout, and he knew the child was Jason. He wasn't quite sure who the other child was.

" _No, I'm not."_ He heard her defend.

 _"Yes, you are."_ The other girl piped up.

" _Sookie, are you cheating?"_ Bill's eyes widened when Eric appeared on the screen.

" _I didn't mean to, my shields sort of dropped all by itself."_ He heard the distinct chuckle that belonged to Pam who appeared to be the camera.

" _I'm sure it did… all by itself."_ She added. A car horn beeped and the kids all looked at each other screeched and run into the house.

 _"I'm beginning to think we are just the dead things that keep them company until she turns up,"_ Pam complained.

 _"They don't see her as much as they do us, so they are bound to abandon us when she turns up."_ The camera followed the children into the house.

If Bill were surprised by the sight of Eric and Pam, he would have peed himself if he was able to at the sight of Sophie-Anne. _"I hear it's someone's birthday."_ She teased still on her knees as the three children still hugged her.

 _"Yes, it's Hadley's,"_ Jason shouted excitedly.

Nine years ago Bill Compton had found a dirty, drugged up Hadley Delahoussaye outside Sophie- Anne's court. Despite all the drugs in her system, the girl smelled sweeter than your average human, much like Sookie he realized. He had taken her to court hoping to earn favor with the queen. He needed a great deal of money for his database idea. Hadley had been scared stiff as he led her to court, but for some odd reason had looked relieved and cried happily at the sight of Sophie-Ann. Sophie Anne herself had behaved rather oddly at the time, in fact, she appeared overcome by the sight of the girl. He now remembered Sophie-Anne had shushed Hadley when she tried to talk. Hadley would have given away their connection had she been allowed to speak. What Bill had witnessed that day was a reunion of family, but so stuck up his own ass he had missed the obvious.

Sophie-Ann had immediately taken Hadley to her chambers and asked not to be disturbed. Eric and Pam had come the following night to glamour Hadley. Pam was known for her glamour. Her glamour made it near on impossible for another vampire to glamour Hadley. A young vampire had tried once and ended up losing his fangs and spending six months in silver. Sophie- Anne didn't allow anyone near Hadley, not even her favorite childe, Andre. At the time none of the queens actions in regards to Hadley made sense, but now it all fell into place.

" _When can we come and see your palace?"_ Sookie asked.

 _"I'm afraid not for a long time."_ Sophie- Ann said sadly.

" _Sookie, vamps are dangerous."_ Jason chastised his little sister.

 _"Yes, not all vampires are like us, most of them would not care that you are children, and you are not supposed to know about us."_ She flicked Hadley's nose making the little girl giggle.

He watched as Sophie- Anne spent hours entertaining the children. The birthday party carried on with three vampires, the children, Adele and some of the residents of Bon Temps until the children fell asleep. He wondered how many at Merlotte's had been glamoured to make sure they said nothing to him that would raise his suspicions.

 _"I didn't think you were coming,"_ Eric said to Sophie- Anne as he poured her a bagged blood.

" _Compton has been delayed."_ Eric sighed needlessly and looked at her in disapproval.

" _Tell me something, how are you going to explain this to the children, especially Sookie when she is old enough to understand. If circumstances had been different, you would be sending Compton down here years from now to get Sookie to court."_ Sophie- Anne shivered at the thought.

 _"I'm no longer taking people from their homes. I ask him to investigate their situation, and if it's less an ideal, then he steps in. I am giving them a choice to stay with me or go back to whatever lives they had before. For most it's so bad they choose to stay even knowing what we are. I would never take someone whose family life is ideal or better. You are right, I wouldn't know how to explain it to Sookie if I did."_ Sophie-Anne.

Bill finally understood why Sophie-Anne had gone from taking anyone she liked to accepting only those who wanted it.

" _I can't believe you have fifty more years of payments for that wimp you call a vampire. He should have met his true death fifty years ago instead of you wasting money on him."_ Before he could hear Sophie- Anne's response the video stopped.

"I didn't know." He whispered.

"What didn't you know?" Jason growled as he wiped the tears from his face.

"I thought fifty years was enough, I didn't know she was still paying for my freedom."

Jason laughed. "You'd be truly dead if it weren't for her, and yet because you thought you had served your time it was okay to get her overthrown and ended in the process." He screamed grabbing a silver knife, which he plunged into Bill's thigh. Bill gritted his teeth fighting the pain.

"You took two people from us. The cousin that Pam drained, I believe you already know she was the cousin _you_ drained. Why kill Hadley?" Bill knew the answer would only bring him more pain. He had drained Hadley because he realized Victor would never let him keep her. He had intended on her turning her, but her blood had surprised him and he ended up killing her.

"It doesn't matter you will pay for their deaths. As far as everyone is concerned you are dead, and if you think your maker will feel your pain and come for you, think again. This warehouse is warded, the minute you stepped past the ward your maker no longer felt you. Death will not come even as you wish, cry and beg for it." Sookie added.

"I didn't kill Sophie-Anne." He argued, he may have had a hand in it, but he didn't strike the final blow.

"Don't worry, your accomplices will be joining you soon," Pam told him with a smile. "Victor will be joining you soon followed by Felipe, then Threadgill. Rest up Bill, tomorrow night you and I will have a long time to get to know each other." Pam informed him gleefully. "I believe Jason will be joining us. He has quite the way with knives." Pam cackled as they left.

The lights in the warehouse went out leaving him alone in the darkness with his thoughts. What was Eric's real relationship with Sophie- Anne and how come no one knew about it.


	6. Chapter 6

_Eric sat in the corner of the tavern staring at the medallions Fintan had given him. He still struggled to believe it would work as described, he wasn't willing to bet his existence on testing it out. He finally put them away as staring at them did nothing to alleviate his concerns. He finally listened to the humans in the tavern hoping to hear news of a ship sailing soon._

 _As luck would have it, there was one leaving port the following night for Rabat. He walked out of the tavern having gotten the information he needed when he saw them. He didn't need his vampire abilities to know she was an abused childe. He was an abused childe, the first few years of his existence he looked just like she did. Her shoulders were hunched which was very odd for a vampire. She walked as though she was hurt, which in all likelihood she was. She hadn't fed in a long while. Therefore he could make out her near translucent skin from a great distance. That was stupid, as her maker risked drawing attention to them._

 _Eric watched as he dragged her to what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Without delay, he took off into the night sky and landed softly on the roof of the warehouse. Looking through the broken planks, he knew what was going to happen and he just couldn't watch. He landed softly but made enough noise to get their attention. The childe looked relieved, but her maker looked annoyed. Upon taking a good look at Eric, he rearranged his features to appear cordial. "Hello." The maker greeted. "I am Alain." He was the same age as Eric, but clearly hadn't fought a day in his life. Eric responded with a simple nod and said nothing else. He found himself a corner and settled down._

 _Two hours later not a single word had been uttered until Alain instructed his childe to get him food. The only thing Alain had taught his childe was how to glamour in order to send her out for his meals. Eric waited ten minutes before he flew out of the warehouse. He soon found the young girl. She had done an expert job in glamouring a human. "Feed." He ordered coming up behind her._

 _"_ _He will know." Her voice shook with fear._

 _Eric saw an opportunity, and he took it. "No, he will not." He took out one of the medallions. "Not with this, he wouldn't. "Press your thumb on here until it turns blue. Desperate to get out of her current situation she did as ordered and pressed her thumb on the center. She felt a pinprick and yelped not out of pain, but surprise. Her blood filled the small orb until it was full then turned blue. All of a sudden Eric found himself believing the medallion might just work. Their blood, after all, was a thing of magic._

 _He watched as she fed, but soon realized she wasn't going to stop. He pulled her off and healed the wound. "What is your name?"_

 _"_ _Judith."_

 _"_ _Judith, you do not kill unless it is absolutely necessary. That necessity is only when your very existence is at stake." She nodded. "Your maker can no longer feel you… I believe you can already sense that." Again she nodded._

 _"_ _You could run, but he will find you in a night or two or…"_

 _"_ _Will you kill him?" His French wasn't the best, but he was sure she asked him to kill her maker._

 _"_ _Makers of his caliber were always sure to command their progenies to never attempt to kill them or get anyone else to do so. Clearly, Alain never thought it possible._

 _"_ _Kill him." He confirmed._

 _"Yes." For the first time, he heard confidence in her voice._

 _"Wait here." She did as told and stood against the wall. She didn't know how long she stood there for, but soon Alain's silhouette covered the entrance to the alleyway. He vamped over to her seeing her unarmed he got angry. "What is the meaning of this?" He never got his answer as his head came off his torso with a swing of Eric's broadsword._

 _Eric waited for Judith to react to the death of her maker, but he soon realized the magic of the medallion was still working despite Alain's death. "I am headed for Africa, you are welcome to join me." Any other time he would have considered her a burden, but not today. She had done him a great favor without realizing it and he also knew she would not last long left on her own. She had no survival skill, Alain had made sure of that. She quickly agreed to go with him knowing she would not survive long without a protector._

 _She had spent almost fifty years with Eric in Egypt before she made her own way back to Europe. The next time they saw each other, she was Sophie-Anne and was the queen of Louisiana. She had asked him to be a Sheriff, a role he accepted._

Sookie was racked with nerves as they drove to court. The last time Sookie had been there was Sophie-Anne was still queen, and there was nothing to be afraid or nervous about. Sookie's appearance had been that of a pale redhead who resembled Sophie-Anne. They had quite a bit of fun with that at Andre's expense.

"I know it's difficult been here again, but remember the reason we are here. We lost two of our family because of them. They desperately want you, and I have worked things to the extent you will be treated with a great deal of respect." Eric encouraged.

"I know, but the last time I was here…" she didn't finish her sentence. Eric had frequented the palace since Sophie-Anne's true death.

"I hadn't taken that into consideration." He murmured.

"I will be okay, I just have to think of the end result." She took a deep breath and settled her nerves.

Sookie noted a lot of changes to the palace. Sophie-Anne's over the top décor was gone for a more minimalist style. Eric informed her that it was more Victor's residence than Felipe's. Felipe's taste was apparently more in line with Sophie-Anne with his need to for outlandishness. "Sheriff Northman for the king."

"Yes Sheriff, he's expecting you." They walked down the hall to the more private area of the palace."

"Eric, as always a pleasure to see you." Sookie had to shut her eyes to avoid rolling it. " Miss Stackhouse, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I made a mistake in sending Compton…"

"You didn't." She replied immediately. "You had no idea he was going to betray you. That night on the way from Fangtasia I questioned him about what had happened. I got the sense he was hiding something, I had no knowledge it was that bad."

"None of us did," Victor growled. Boy, did the growling half get on Sookie's nerves.

"It's been dealt with, or at least Compton has. We still need to see if anyone else in my retinue is involved."

"Yes, I understand," Sookie said with a smile.

"Excellent, how does this work?" Felipe asked eager to see her in action.

"I can demonstrate it for you, but the humans cannot repeat what they see. I think it would be best if no one knows what I can do because I can't read a glamoured human."

"Interesting." Felipe murmured picking up the phone and calling for someone named Sebastian. "Sebastian is to be my childe, but with everything going on. We have to delay his turning I'm afraid." Sookie noted his words made it sound as though it was loss for everyone else that Sebastian turning had to be delayed. She wondered how Eric put up with this nonsense for as long as he had.

Sebastian was incredibly good-looking human, and she could see why Felipe wanted to turn him. "Sebastian, this is Miss Stackhouse."

"Oh, the telepath." He said excitedly. "What am I thinking?" Well, that was easy.

"Numbers... unfortunately you are going too fast for me to keep up." Sookie laughed at his enthusiasm. " Now it's a lot of oh my God." She added.

"Wow," Sebastian whispered.

"Okay Sebastian, I'm sure you will get a chance to talk to Sookie later. "Miss Stackhouse why don't Eric show you around and see what you can hear." As they walked away Felipe called. "Sheriff, one second." Eric left Sookie just outside the door.

I know you are not keen on the idea of tying yourself to a human, but it has to be done and soon." This was exactly what Eric had been hoping for.

"It will be done." He made no effort to hide his lack of enthusiasm, or rather his feigning of it.

It was two in the morning when Sookie run into Sebastian, he was clearly used to the hours. In truth so was Sookie, but after an hour with him, she pretended the night was getting to her.

Back at Eric's hotel, an opportunity landed on their lap, and while they were brainstorming on how to play it, their practically offered himself to them. "Are you sure it's Victor?" Eric asked.

"Yes, it helps that I also saw him while I was getting ice." She added with a smug smile.

"Sookie, I don't know…"

"I spent an hour with him I could have heard anything, and as far as Victor is concerned this is what I heard. What could be better than this? Unless you have a better idea." He didn't.

"Okay." He agreed reluctantly.

"Can he hear us?" Sookie wondered out loud.

"Yes. Vampire hearing." For a second there she had forgotten.

Victor knew he was pushing his luck going to see Eric and Sookie. The girl was clearly uncomfortable around him, but Felipe wanted to make sure Eric had given the girl his blood. Had he been in the sheriff's position he wouldn't need asking.

"So… Sebastian." He heard the girl ask.

"He will be Felipe's first childe. I don't think Felipe has ever thought of been a maker until he came along. He had Victor… what?" He didn't know what had happened, but that single word was laced with concern.

"You said he had Victor…" Her voice trailed off.

"Sookie, why is that a concern?" The silence was deafening. "Sookie, why is that a concern." Without been in the room he knew Eric's voice had scared the telepath.

"I won't say anything. I didn't know you knew." Her voice shook.

"Knew what," Eric growled.

"That Felipe was planning to get rid of Victor." Victor wobbled in his shoes, something vampires didn't do.

"Sookie, what do you mean Felipe is planning to get rid of Victor. Where did you get this?" Eric growl was beyond menacing.

"Sebastian."

"Son of a bitch… has Felipe lost his mind…"

"You didn't know," Sookie said in realization.

"No, oh, I see… you thought I knew because I said had. I meant nothing by it. Victor is the brains behind Felipe's operation. Felipe's success is down to Victor. Felipe is the monarch he is because of Victor. Even when I didn't like him, I respected him. Felipe is a fool… this is not good. Why the hell would he even think that?" Eric ranted.

"Because of you." That stopped both Victor and Eric short.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Felipe now believes you are loyal beyond question. He believes you will do a much better job than Victor. I think after you exposed Bill and brought me in despite what Bill had done..." Sookie's voice trailed off.

"This is bad. He cannot get rid of Victor, that is a disaster in the making. Does he know the number of people that tolerate him as monarch simply because of Victor Madden? Get rid of Victor, and he will follow. I will not meet my true death because Felipe has all of a sudden taken leave of his senses."

"Then tell Victor," Sookie said innocently.

Eric chuckled. "Victor has been with Felipe for decades. Do you think he will believe me? The vampire he has been at odds with until recently?"

"I see," Sookie whispered.

"Just when things are beginning to settle down Felipe plans this foolishness. I'm beginning to think the idea of peace and quiet that doesn't suit Felipe. He has to create conflict just to feel alive…" A knock on the door interrupted his rant.

They both smiled knowing who it was. Sookie had felt his void the entire time they were talking. Eric yanked the door open to find Victor looking furious. "Don't' tell me… he sent you to make sure I have given Sookie my blood." Eric growled.

Ignoring Eric, Victor turned to Sookie." What exactly were Sebastian's thoughts?"

Eric turned his attention to him. "I heard it all," Victor said looking at Eric.

"He would be so much happier when you were gone, and Eric and I would take your place. He loved the idea of us been around Felipe. He believed his turning hadn't happened because Felipe believes you will use that as an opportunity to take over his states."

"I suspected there was more to him waiting to turn Sebastian than the betrayal of Compton. Now I know." Victor whispered.

"What are you going to do?" Eric asked. Their next move depended on what Victor said next.

"The right thing to do is leave, but we both know Felipe will not let me walk away. If I left without his knowledge, he would hunt me down for fear I was planning to overthrow him. My best chance is to stay and fight." Victor waited for Eric to say something, anything."

"I believe you are right," Eric said.

"Do I have your support?" There it was, the question Eric had hoped he would ask. The question that would see to Victor's demise.

 **AN: This is a short story so the story will move quickly.**


	7. Chapter 7

Bill Compton's nights and days were beginning to merge. He only knew it was night when Pam and Stackhouse turned up. He'd never thought he'd say this, but Stackhouse was far more vicious than Pam. His torture had turned into a competitive game between them. Pam had taken his fangs, which Stackhouse scoffed at. He then snipped Bill's toes off. On and on it went until Stackhouse decided to open him up as though he was having surgery. He was kept open by what were obviously surgical tools. Stackhouse had won when Pam begged to take out his spleen. She'd conceded the idea would have never occurred to her. In truth, he had never known a vampire opened up and his organs taken in a torture session before either. Then again he wasn't that old. In fact, he was sure as long as they didn't take out his heart he would continue to exist.

Eric's relationship with Sophie-Anne had shocked him more than his relationship with the Stackhouses. If Felipe had remotely suspected their closeness, Eric and his retinue would be dead. Eric saw Sophie-Anne as a childe, he thought her everything he knew enough to make her a queen. He was a proud adoptive maker when he found out she was queen, so much so he put aside his hate for politics and became her sheriff.

Hearing just how much Sophie-Anne meant to these people told him true death was not going to come for him anytime soon. Pain and suffering were going to be his friends for some time.

He had not seen Sookie or Eric for three nights, on the night they finally showed he got a rest from his torturers. "Hellooo Billy boy." Eric sounded almost drunk, which was not possible. "Cheer up, you will be getting a companion soon." From what he had heard he knew Victor was next on their list. An opportunity had fallen on their lap, and they had taken full advantage of it.

"So Victor will be coming here tomorrow night," Pam asked with a smile that unnerved him. He found himself hoping Victor would join him soon then maybe he would be left alone, for a while at least.

"Yes, he believes we are strategizing. We will go into my office if he doesn't tell us about the bugs…"

"Then we know he is instead setting you up," Pam added.

"I can't think of any other reason why he would keep the fact that he had my office bugged a secret." Bill had to admit it was a brilliant way to test Victor's loyalty.

"Billy boy, you are looking a lot less… literally." Sookie snarked.

"Yes, Jason here is showing a real natural ability for torture," Pam said proudly.

"Showing?" Jason raised an eyebrow at her.

"Okay, he is a natural." Pam deadpanned. "Happy." She added with an eye roll.

"Very." Jason returned in the same sarcastic tone.

The following night Victor had shown up, but before Eric could utter a word, Victor started. "We can't talk in your office… it's bugged." His voice was low enough that only Eric heard.

"Pam's office then or is that…"

"No, no… her office is perfect." Eric already knew that.

The minute they got into Pam's office Eric turned his furious glare on Victor. "My office is bugged." He growled.

"Every sheriff's office is bugged," Victor said in an attempt to placate.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE OTHER SHERIFFS." He bellowed. If he was human his face would be red in color.

"It wasn't my idea, and in truth, Felipe barely listens unless he feels something isn't right. We've only heard you conduct sheriff business, feed and fuck. Occasionally you and Pam talk about your past, and argue about things Felipe can't care about." He hadn't fucked anyone in years, but for appearance sake, glamoured fangbangers played the part well enough.

"You seem to be missing the point," Eric growled low and deadly. "Get out."

"Eric…" Victor tried. He knew his revelation would upset the Viking he was just hoping he'd get over it quickly enough to talk.

"I can't I am too incensed right now to be if any use. Sookie and I will be in New Orleans in two nights we will talk then." Victor nodded understanding he wasn't going to get anywhere that night. Victor vamped out of Fangtasia happy the Viking hadn't physically attacked him.

"Eric sat down on the couch with a smile on his face. Victor could be trusted and that, he was afraid would be to the vampire's detriment.

"What do you know about Victor?" Sookie asked as she ate her ice cream with relish. After a couple nights at home, they were back in New Orleans.

"He's Felipe right hand and sheriff of area one," Sebastian answered.

"I know what he does. It wasn't what I asked."

"You are the telepath you already know what I think." He responded.

"Actually, I'm not reading your mind. The biggest joy I get from being around vampires is the fact that I can't hear their thoughts. So even talking to you my mind is focused on several voids." She says with a chuckle. "You actually look disappointed by the fact I'm not listening to your thoughts." That was a first.

"I am, but then again I should have realized. Every time you ask a question you wait for me to verbally answer and you have the appropriate response."

"I wouldn't go by that if I were you. I have learned over the years to mask my feelings and show the right response. But in this case, you are right I'm not listening, therefore, I react as I should." Sookie answered somewhat honestly as honesty went a long way. As Eric always said it was more believable to tell a lie with some basis in truth than an outright lie.

"I thought you were supposed to be reading minds?"

"Yeah, when the vampires are up and about. Humans though working in a vampire court tend to think of the mundane day-to-day stuff when vampires aren't around. And most are still asleep." Sookie said.

"So when you say you are focused on vampire minds you…

"Sleeping minds." She confirmed.

"Wow," Sebastian whispered.

She could talk freely as Sebastian had invited her to his private quarters. There was a door that led to Felipe's chambers, but it was securely locked and could only be opened from the inside. Sookie was surprised to learn that Sebastian didn't share Felipe's chambers, but had his own. That would apparently change when he was turned so Felipe could monitor him closely.

"So when do you think you will be turned?" She was nonchalant in her outward appearances, but internally she was praying she didn't mess it up. She couldn't be seen to care too much or ask too many details. If She asked a question and he didn't answer she didn't push, she just moved on to more banal topics.

"I think when this Compton stuff was over." He looked impatient about the wait.

"You really are eager to turn." Sookie said surprised.

"I am, have you ever considered it?"

"No, because I could lose my gift completely or worse, I could wake up hearing vampires as well. Believe me, no vampire would want me around then." Sebastian understood that very well.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to turn if I were you either." Sookie smiled.

"Anyway the reason I asked was, I heard Victor tell Eric he believed the reason you hadn't been turned was because Felipe didn't trust him not to take over while he was in the ground with you." Sookie actually let out a yawn as she said that. Talk about appearing bored with a subject.

"Hey, this is my life here look interested," Sebastian growled.

"Sorry, not sleeping at night and I still can't get used to sleeping during the day." She said apologetically.

"No, I'm sorry, I remember those days and I don't miss it. You will get used to it." He said with a great dose of sympathy.

"It better come soon. My job requires a great deal of focus."

"So Victor thinks Felipe doesn't trust him." Sebastian was eager to get the conversation back on Victor.

"I shouldn't have said anything. It was a private conversation and…"

"I'm not going to say a word… you don't have to worry about that." It was a blatant lie and she didn't need to read his mind to know that, but she did.

"Yeah, he sounded like he was getting tired of doing all the work and Felipe getting all the glory." Sookie sounded bored by the entire conversation, which was beginning to piss Sebastian off.

"What did Eric say?" He figured Eric didn't approve or else she wouldn't be talking about it to him of all people.

"Not much, but I know the next time he talks to Victor he's going to record it. He doesn't like where Victor's mind is going at all." Sookie stood and stretched. "Anyway, I have to get back. I want a few hours shut-eye before the king holds court." She gave Sebastian a hug.

' _I am so grateful for her and her openness. If she hadn't talked to me, by the time Felipe realized something was up, it would have been too late. What I'd give to be able to wake Felipe up right now.'_

Sookie smiled at his thought as she walked away. Mission complete.

Felipe got up from his day rest to find Sebastian pacing his room like a madman.

"Sebastian," Felipe called out.

"Oh thank God." He murmured with huge relief. "We have a problem." Sebastian didn't have relay the entire conversation to Felipe. He simply had to watch the video surveillance in his room.

Felipe looked positively concerned about the latest development. In truth, he had noticed the change in Victor's attitude, but he put it down to the development with Compton and the likely takeover from unknown sources. The first thing he did was to check the audio recordings from Eric's office to find there was none. Victor had chosen to talk to Eric outside his office. Felipe, like Eric, didn't like where Victor's mind was going either. He needed to speak to Eric immediately. If this conversation had taken place days ago, just maybe Victor had gone back to talk to Eric again.

With Victor and all the other sheriff's in court, Felipe didn't want to risk calling Eric into his private chambers, as he had never called him without Victor present. If he did so it will fuel Victor's developing thoughts of treason.

He couldn't use Sebastian either as he had promised the telepath absolute secrecy. If she felt she couldn't trust him, she'd never talk so freely, and he needed that. Her rather loose tongue was his saving grace.

He had to find a way to talk to Northman without implicating the telepath. If Eric suspected her involvement, it would be risky for her. Sure, Eric wouldn't kill her, but she would be kept on a short leash, and that was not good for any of them. Right now he needed her abilities more than ever.

Two hours later he had glamoured a donor sent to give a note to Eric. Eric was quick to respond to the note. "Eric, for some time I have sensed Victor's unease…" Felipe started carefully. "I think he believes he can do better. I believe he thinks I am getting all the reward for his hard work."

"And you will be right," Eric answered without preamble shocking Felipe. "I have known about this for some time, but a few nights ago he was brave enough to voice this thought to me." Eric sat down. "I didn't want to come to you without proof. In truth, I didn't think you'd believe me without it. Victor has been by your side for decades, and let's be honest you don't entirely trust me." Eric didn't hold back.

"And you will be right," Felipe admitted knowing if he was to get Eric's support it was time for the truth. "I am king and shouldn't be influenced on a vampire who has given me no reason to distrust them. I allowed Victor to do so when it came to you. I should have known better, I should have seen his jealousy of you. He wanted everything you had and to have it you had to meet your true death. I know he did a lot trying to undermine you in the beginning… but I am also at fault for allowing it."

"So he was responsible for the bug in my office," Eric muttered.

"You knew." Felipe looked surprised wondering what the Viking had hidden if he knew.

"Yes, when Victor came to see me two nights ago he didn't want to talk in my office…" Eric didn't need to finish Felipe understood precisely where he was going.

"I see." Eric was very sure he did.

"I am having him followed. I will ask my man to take pictures from now on. They have meetings at a warehouse on the outskirts of town." Felipe's eyes widen.

"Thank you, Eric." He said sincerely. The Viking had taken to protecting Felipe even when he wasn't sure he would be believed.

"How about we meet two nights from now when we have more, and we can strategize."

"Yes, that is a good plan." Eric left the room and made his way out the balcony. He flew back to the hotel to find Victor pacing.

"What did he want?" Victor asked before Eric's feet had touched the ground.

"Eric," Sookie called.

"Not now." He dismissed her.

"I believe you have been talking to someone you shouldn't have been talking to," Eric whispered angrily.

"What!" Victor exclaimed.

"He knows," Eric growled.

"That is what I've been trying to tell you," Sookie muttered annoyed.

"What?" This time it was Eric.

"I spent the afternoon with Sebastian. This time he wasn't just thinking about Felipe getting rid of Victor he was happy to tell me all about it." Victor knew if Sebastian was talking then whatever Felipe's plans were they were happening soon.

"How does Felipe know about the plans to get rid of him instead?"

"Just from your attitude," Sookie answered.

Victor sighed. "Yes, I believe I have struggled to contain my anger and what I believe to be his treachery." He admitted.

"That doesn't matter," Eric said with a wave of his hand. "You will meet your true death in three nights time as far as everyone is concerned." He added.


	8. Chapter 8

"You have a plan?" Victor asked.

"Yes, you can't run, Felipe will forever be hunting you, and you can't stay, so it is best if everyone thinks you are dead. We will not have worry about anyone spying on you while we plan. You and your most trusted vampires will have to go into hiding for maybe a year while we plan. No one plans for an enemy they believe dead." Eric said nonchalantly.

"Okay, how do we do it?" Victor sat down for the first time.

"I have a warehouse on the outskirts of New Orleans. "Eric started. "There is also a tunnel that leads to a safe house. I will have travel coffins for you and the others. You will be transported to a farmhouse I have in Sweden."

"All that is well and good, but how do we make Felipe believe I'm dead," Victor asked.

"Felipe will avoid a fight if he has to, so any plan that involves him getting rid of you without him a losing any in his retinue will be welcome. I will suggest we confirm your entry into the warehouse, and then we blow it up with you in there." Eric sat back with a smile, as did Victor.

"By the time it blows we will be in the tunnel on the way to the safe house," Victor added with a chuckle.

"With vampire speed, you will already be at the safe house by the time the place blows," Eric added. "With Sookie confirming you are still in the warehouse as it happens why should Felipe believe otherwise?" Eric looked at Sookie with a wry smile.

"Now you have to get Felipe to agree to it." She muttered.

"Agree. No, no, no, Felipe is going to think it's his idea. All I have to do is get Felipe to decide he needs to do things in a way that doesn't start a fight with the rest of Victor's retinue."

"Ah, I see… by blowing up the warehouse, Felipe can deny all knowledge of my true death."

"Things blow up especially a warehouse that previously dealt with the packaging of lighter fluids." Eric grabbed a bottle of true blood from the fridge and popped it in the microwave. "Tomorrow night I need you and the vampires you want in Sweden with you to spend a few hours at the warehouse. You can use that time to start planning. After that quietly get your affairs in order. It doesn't matter if Felipe finds out your funds are gone. We can always say your second plan if your overthrow failed was to run. With me monitoring the warehouse we can tell Felipe what we want…"

"As to what took place at the warehouse." Victor finished.

"Precisely."

"Wouldn't it be better if you had some proof… like papers Eric's man can photograph that showed Victor plan." It was a stupid question and Sookie it. After all, Vampires had perfect recall and didn't need to write anything down.

"It isn't something I would do, and Felipe knows that." Victor said exactly what she expected him to say. "Look at Compton, leaving a paper trail was what led to his true death." Victor added smugly.

Sookie couldn't help but think so did blindly trusting you hated a few weeks ago.

We would be at the warehouse tomorrow." Victor said as he stood to leave. "Eric, thank you. You can have back Louisiana when the time comes." Victor offered.

"No, thank you, but I do have someone in mind for the position," Eric said with a laugh. Victor nodded before leaving.

"Felipe is an idiot." Eric groused knowing full well that Victor could still hear him.

"You can say that again, he clearly doesn't know what he has in Victor," Sookie added trying not to smile.

No longer able to feel Victor's void, Sookie relaxed. "Three nights can't come soon enough." She murmured.

"You have nothing to worry about. This is Felipe's worst nightmare and the idea that he has our support and more information than he thought works in our favor. Felipe needs us, and that is a good thing indeed." Eric assured her. "This was your plan, remember?" He added. "So far your plans have been spot on."

"It was also a spare of the moment type of plan." She reminded him.

"Sookie, stop worrying, we are good." He kissed her forehead before taking a seat next to her.

"What do you say if I said I had a plan for Felipe." Eric cracked up laughing so hard he had tears running down his face. "Let's hear it." He said after managing to compose himself.

"We should kidnap Sebastian." Eric looked at her in awe.

"Pam is right. You Stackhouses are scary." He chuckled. "I was going to ask you after we got rid of Victor to get Sebastian out of court the next day. We can't afford to waste time, Felipe will be back in Nevada that very night."

"So, I'm going to be kidnapped with him?" Sookie asked.

"I think it's best, if by some miracle he gets away, I want him to say you were also a target, not the mastermind," Eric explained.

"That makes sense," Sookie admitted.

Eric landed on the balcony that led to Sebastian's quarters and knocked on the door. "Sheriff." Sebastian greeted surprised by his sight.

"Call Felipe," Eric ordered taking a seat.

"Yes, of course." Sebastian quickly grabbed his phone and sent a text. Eric didn't have to wait long for Felipe to show.

"What do you have for me?" Felipe asked holding his hand out for the file Eric was holding.

"It's as we suspected." Eric handed over the file. Felipe looked through the pictures taken by Mustapha Khan.

"I've been watching Victor's coming and going, and earlier tonight he and these seven disappeared for several hours. I'm still struggling to believe Victor…" Sebastian scoffed under his breath, but in the presence of vampires, it was pointless as they heard him.

"You are not surprised by this." Eric turned his attention to Sebastian.

"No, I'm not surprised. I talk to the humans around the court, and none of them have nothing good to say about Victor. Most think he always thought he could do better…"

"Like be the monarch." Eric finished.

"Oh, he thinks he is so much better than his position." Sebastian's disdain for Victor was obvious. After it was all said and done he would have Pam turn Sebastian if Sebastian was okay with the idea. He knew the young man wanted to be turned and well, Sookie had taken a real liking to him. Of course, Sebastian could also hold a grudge when they kill Felipe, he might have thoughts of vengeance. He'd wait and see after it was all over.

"These seven and Victor almost single-handedly took this court." Felipe lamented. Eric was well aware of that piece of information. It was one of the reasons he hadn't encouraged Victor to disappear on his own. Second, these seven were also unlikely to believe Victor had faked his true death without their knowledge. Getting them hadn't been something Eric had expected, but it was a splendid bonus.

"Eric I would like you to personally monitor Victor's activities tomorrow night," Felipe ordered.

"I planned on it," Eric answered. "Sebastian you couldn't possibly keep Sookie company tonight while we work." He added.

"Not at all." He answered with a smile as he left.

"Excellent I will call her, she will soon join you next door."

"I can have some of my best here tomorrow night. We can get set up and take them in the warehouse in a night or two."

"No, It will be a bloodbath with those vampires. They are formidable Vampires. Victor spent decades getting them together." Eric was also aware of that. The oldest in that group was seven hundred years old, but was one hell of a fighter.

"So you don't them held…"

"No, I want them all destroyed," Felipe growled before he stood to pace. Eric said nothing and waited for Felipe to come up with an idea before he offered his own.

"Who does the warehouse belong to?" Felipe asked.

"I have no idea I believe it belongs to some company, but they closed it down over a decade ago. It still might belong to them." Eric answered.

"Are you thinking about taking them and the warehouse down? A fire would not spread fast enough to get them all. With vampire speed…"

"No, I'm thinking of blowing it up with them in it," Felipe said with a gleam in his eyes.

"That might also not get all of them," Eric argued playing devil's advocate.

"No, but we could have the warehouse surrounded, and any vampire that gets away can then be taken down.

"I believe you have two snipers in your retinue." Eric had to admit Felipe wasn't as clueless as he had first thought. He had thought in the end he would be the one to come up with the idea of blowing up the warehouse. He had also taken a chance offering his vampires to fight Victor and his men. In the end, Felipe had done just as Eric had wanted. This was the best outcome.

…

Victor and the seen other vampires sat around waiting for the ruse to begin. "Felipe is an ungrateful bastard," Shinji said to no one in particular. The Japanese vampire was the oldest of the lot and a deadly one at that with a katana in hand.

"In less than a year, Felipe would more than likely meet his true death at the end of your sword." Shinji facial muscles rearranged itself into something that resembled a smile.

"They are here." Shinji's progeny announced. His hearing was far superior to vampires his age even better than that of his maker, who had a quarter of a century on him. "The vampires moved to the tunnel, the telepath has confirmed our presence." With that, they all vamped through the escape tunnel and almost at the safe house when they heard a series of explosions.

As expected there were eight travel coffins waiting for them. Eric's day man Mustapha Khan will be there for them during the day and a private charter would take them to Sweden. They found bagged blood in the fridge and a microwave. There wasn't much of anything else, not that the vampires minded.

"You are back." Sebastian bolted up when Eric, Sookie, and Felipe walked into Felipe's office.

"Yes, It took all of ten minutes." Eric gloated. "Now, you are clear on the fact that you were with Felipe since sundown." Sebastian nodded with a beaming smile. He knew his turning was now round the corner.

"Yes, you can smile, your turning will take place tomorrow night. I believe it's best to get it out of the way before something else arises." Sebastian was practically jumping out of his skin with excitement.

"We should go out tomorrow, it's your last day in the sun." Sookie offered.

"Oh, that's a good idea," Sebastian uttered before Felipe could think to even nix the idea not that he was going to.

"Excellent, Sookie let's go for dinner, you haven't eaten. It's something when it's the vampire that has to continually remind you to eat."

"You are not alone there." Felipe cut in. "I am constantly reminding Sebastian to eat. Tomorrow afternoon you enjoy your favorite meal and your time with Miss Stackhouse as you won't see her for a long while." Sebastian looked around wondering why.

"Sookie smells exceptionally sweet, you will lose control in her presence," Eric answered.

"Oh." Was Sebastian's response.

"I swear to God if you tell me how sweet I smell when you see me I will kick you." Sookie threat earned a chuckle from Felipe.

"You better prepare yourself for that kick," Eric warned. "There is no way you won't mention her smell.

…

It was just after sunup when Mustapha and a few other weres came for the travel coffins. The coffins were transported to the warehouse and in the safety of the light-tight warehouse, Victor was chained to the table next to Bill. With a use of leather lined silver he remained dead. The other seven vampires were also wrapped in leather lined silver and left on the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

"Bill laughed like a madman. "Compton control you're fucking self and answer my fucking question." Victor bellowed.

"Remember when I told you I was being set up… you should have believed me." Victor looked around the warehouse, although the lights were off, with his sight he could see everything perfectly.

"Who set you up?" It was a stupid question, and he knew it.

"Northman, and we all know it," Shinji grumbled still fighting a fruitless fight to free himself from the silver chains.

"Why?" Victor whispered.

"Sophie-Anne," Bill muttered chuckling to himself. Maybe he really had lost his mind as he continued to laugh.

"All this for that whore of a queen. Give me a break." Victor sneered.

"She was Northman's childe." With those words, the warehouse descended into complete silence. Even Bill had stopped laughing.

"Yes, I would go to war for the true death of my childe." Shinji stopped all attempts to free himself.

"The telepath, his sudden and utter devotion… it was all a plan to avenge his childe." Victor was struggling to understand how it had come to pass. How was it that no one knew about Northman and his connection to Sophie-Anne? Most people thought he just tolerated her. She seemed to deal with him a lot less than any of her other sheriffs. They were barely cordial with each other. As the thoughts filtered through his mind, he realized it was all a ruse. Years of watching Northman hadn't revealed his connection to Sophie-Anne, they had hidden it well. He knew he shouldn't have trusted the Viking, he knew he should have stuck to his initial thoughts of him. He had let recent events fool him, then again that was the whole point. Still, it hurt to realize just how easily they had been played. If he and Felipe truly trusted each other, this would not have possible in the first place.

…

Sebastian was in the best of moods. He did nothing but talk about his turning, even in a public setting. Sookie couldn't get a word in, and it suited her just fine. "I don't know… if I was ever going to get turned, I prefer a man to do it." Sookie said absentmindedly.

"Yeah, truth be told, I don't care who turns me as long as I get turned. I'm told all I would want to do is feed and fuck initially, and I certainly would have preferred a woman." Sebastian admitted.

"I'm right there with you. From what Eric tells me after your turning you won't care as long it's not been forced on you." Sookie said with a shrug.

"I don't care already." He joked. Sookie chuckled and then stood abruptly.

"Let's get back before they sent a search party for us." Seeing the look on her face, he knew not to question her. The minute they made it out of the café Sookie pulled out her phone. "Eric, there are three Weres currently following us. They plan to take Sebastian, Eric I think this was part of Victor's plan. I saw him briefly in their minds. But I can't get a clear reading, as they are Weres. We are coming back, but in case we don't make it. We walked past the bank, and they have cameras so that…" She stopped short when a hand grabbed her. She was tossed in the van with Sebastian who was promptly blindfolded.

Alcide smiled at Sookie as she sighed in relief. Any number of things could have gone wrong, and she was very relieved it had all gone to plan. Of course, the Weres that were following them had been hired anonymously and even if they were caught they had no real information. They were a perfect distraction from the real threat. Felipe would focus his effort on finding them. Of course, the information he discovers will lead him to Arkansas. Sookie really did like Sebastian and hated to put him in this position, but was a necessary evil.

"We have a job to do, and we are doing it." Alcide started to explain things to Sebastian. "We have absolutely no desire to hurt you as long as you cooperate. Do you understand?" Sebastian nodded vigorously.

"Good, this is not about you, you are a necessary pawn to get to de Castro." Sebastian pretty much knew that was the case. Surprisingly, his only concern was if de Castro met his true death he wouldn't get turned. He was beginning to think this would never happen for him. Every time he was close to getting turned something got in the way. Yep, it was never going to happen as far as he was concerned.

…

Eric due to his age was awake before Felipe. He chuckled when he listened to Sookie's voicemail. It was a picture of Sebastian cuffed to a chair. He didn't look in any way hurt or distressed. Eric deleted the picture and got ready for his evening. Felipe he knew would be getting the same picture. He checked his bond with Sookie, and it was muted. Therefore he knew she was now at the warehouse. Felipe would not be able to feel Sebastian as well. The ward around the warehouse was working perfectly. With the sun still up he stayed in his chamber getting ready for the performance of his existence.

The minute the sunset he was out of his room looking as though he was on the warpath. He saw Felipe headed his way. "They've been taken." He bellowed.

"I feared as much." Felipe deflated in a way Eric didn't think a vampire was capable of.

"Sookie managed to leave me a message before they were taken. They were after Sebastian, and it appears this was part of Victor's plan. I believe the Weres hired didn't know he had met his true death." Eric grumbled.

"Even dead he still manages to be a thorn in my side," Felipe growled.

"I have already called my day man to look into it. Sookie purposefully walked past a bank knowing it had surveillance. With any luck, we will have footage of the kidnappers by tomorrow evening.

Eric's phone rang then. "Mustapha, what do you have?"

"We've managed to get footage from the café and a couple of other establishments. They were here for about an hour, and then Miss Stackhouse froze and looked up at three men. She immediately stood, and Sebastian stood to leave with her, he seemed to understand something was wrong. She called you as she headed back to the palace, but just as they walked past an alley they were grabbed, and the three Weres followed. That was the last sighting we have of them. I am calling in a favor that will hopefully allow me to view traffic footage. There is a camera facing that front of that alley if we can see the car or van leaving I'm hoping we can follow it to its final destination."

"Excellent, keep in touch." Eric hung up with a sigh.

"That sounds promising," Felipe said. "My biggest concern is if these Weres discovered Victor is no more... what will happen to Sebastian and Miss Stackhouse?"

"Good question." Eric looked away with a smirk. Tomorrow night Mustapha will inform them that the Van was followed until the Arkansas border.

...

Back at the warehouse, Victor could see the fear on Compton's face when Northman's progeny walked in followed by a blonde male. "Bill, tonight you get a reprieve. Eric has given carte blanche on these fools... well, all except for Victor." Pam looked at Victor then with a smirk. "He is to be left for Eric.

"Pam, think about what you are doing... you are not going to get away with it," Victor said grasping at straws.

"Oh come on, surely you can do better than that," Sookie said as she walked into the warehouse.

"Miss Stackhouse, this is..."

"You grasping at straws. Let's look at the facts. You have no maker or children, there is no one out there that can still feel a bond with you. As far as Felipe is concerned, you are dead by his hand or rather his say so. So tell me exactly how we are going to get caught. Hell, you didn't know good old William here was still with us." Victor knew he was going to meet his true death and nothing short of a miracle would save him.

"Miss Stackhouse, please..." He wasn't beyond begging.

"You are pathetic," Shinji growled. "Die with honor, I only wish I could have died in combat. Stop begging and ask the Viking for the opportunity to die in battle as I will do the same."

Sookie wasn't paying attention to any of them, as she focused on Bill. "Tell me Bill why did you kill Hadley?" Sookie hands lit up as she asked the question.

"What... you..." Victor started.

"Do yourself a favor and shut up," Jason warned. "You don't want that near you. Ask Willy here, he will tell you all about it."

"Bill, I asked you a question."

"They would have taken her from me. One whiff of her blood and I would have lost her."

"So you decided to kill her instead. Why not turn her, she was desperate to be turned so why not do that." The look on Bill's face answered her question.

"That was your plan." Pam surmised correctly. "But somehow you managed to fuck that up as well. You truly are useless." She sneered.

"So useless I got Sophie-Anne and her entire court killed." It was the wrong thing to say, and he knew that the minute the words left his mouth. He saw Sookie about to flick a finger. "NO, NO, NO. Please no."

"Too late." Sookie sang just Bill felt the heat working its way through his already mangled body.

Victor's eyes widen as Bill screamed in abject agony. "What did you do to him?"

"I could always show you." Before he could utter a word against that suggestion, she had already flicked a finger.

"He was to be left for Eric... didn't I tell you that?" Pam deadpanned.

"No, you didn't," Sookie said with a feigned wide-eyed look.

"Oops, must have slipped my mind." She muttered in a bored tone.

"Can we end this lot and get out of here... there is only so much of their shouting I can take."

"Jason grabbed a silver stake with relish. "I wish to die in combat," Shinji shouted.

"I want a Ferrari, but that ain't happening either," Jason snarked before plunging the stake into Shinji. Within seconds the others were a pile of goo that was quickly becoming ash.

"Now let's go home, I miss grans cooking and my bed." Sookie yawned.

"Is Sebastian with Alcide?" Jason asked.

"Yep, he is quite the cooperative captive. I think the idea of not getting turned has him more bumped out than the kidnapping."

"I'd be happy to turn him after all this is over." Thalia piped up. It was easy to forget she was there sometimes. She had the ability to blend into her background until she wanted you to know she was there.

"That will make him very happy." Sookie smiled, she really liked Sebastian and it would have been a shame to lose him.


End file.
